Choke for fire-crackers.



No. 634,203. Patented Oct. 3, I899.

c. CURTIS. CHOKE FOB FIRE GRACKEBS.

(Application filed. m 10, mos. EM Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

INVENTQH fl rlw awzzx A TTOHNE Y m: nonms vzrcas co. wen-owns" msummuu. u, c,

N0. 634;203. Patented Oct. 3, [899.

Q G. L. CURTIS.

CHOKE FOR FIRE CRAGKEBS.

(Application filed m 'm, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Shasta-Sheet 2.

INVENTOR n v Ch rm 650 22.:

- ATTORNEY Nrrnn TATES CHARLES L. CURTIS, OF NElV YORK,

N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN MENTS, TO THE NORDLlNGER-CI'IARLTON FIRElVORKS COMPANY, OF

SAVE PLACE.

CHQKE FOR FIRE CRACKERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,203, dated October 3, 1899.

' Application filed May 10, 1898. Serial No. 680,249. (No model.)

The object of my invention is to provide a,

fire-cracker or the like in which the bore that contains an explosive shall befirmly and securely closed to prevent the disruption of thematerial forming the choke and to prevent the gases forcing their way out through the bore, whereby to cause a more complete explosion and detonation of the fire-cracker.

In carrying out my invention I form afirecracker body by means of a series of convolutions of suitable material, such as a paper band or strip, and provide the same with a bore to receive an explosive and a stem, and at the ends of said body the material thereof to a certain amount around the bore is pressed inwardly into a solid mass, while the convolutions of this part of the body that is so pressed inwardly are left in substantially their natural conditionthat is to say, in their normal convolutions, excepting as the convolutions may be upset while being pressed inwardly. By this means a very firm closure is provided for the fire-cracker bore. Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical section of a firecracker body before its end is closed, showing a suitable tool in position to close the end of the body. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the first step of the tool. Fig. isa similar view showing the last step of the tool, the material having been acted upon. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the fire-cracker, having its ends closed in accordance with my invention, but not charged. Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the end portion of the fire-cracker body on an enlarged scale, showing the positions the convolutions of the body assume while being pressed backwardly upon themselves to form the closure or choke of the bore of the body. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of a known type of fire-cracker, having the material of the body bent inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the bore to form a closure for the same. Fig. 8 is an end view thereof. Fig. 9 isa sectional elevation on the line a; 50, Fig. 10, of a firecracker completed in accordance with myinvention; and Fig. 10 is a plan view thereof.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

At 1 is the fire cracker body, which is formed by rolling a band or strip 1, preferably of paper, into suitable convolutions, so as to form a bore 2, in which bore an explosive or powder and a stem may be placed in any well-known or desired manner. This bore 2 is tobe closed at its ends after the body is supplied with the explosive, and to accomplish this I force the material of the body at the ends thereofthat is, several of the convolutions immediately surrounding the bore 2baek upon themselves by jamming a suitable tool into the body, whereby the bore 2 is choked at 4.

It will be understood that the convolut-ions of the band or strip forming the body 1 are forcibly pressed inwardly back upon themselves on substantially a straight line and that when so forced the material of the band is compressed into a solid mass. The convolutions during the jamming become bent 'or crimped more or less, as at 5, the bends or crimps of the contiguous convolutions folding into each other, thus producing a continuity of abutments. The convolutions, however, still retain their general characteristic of extending lengthwise of the body 1. This pressing inwardly of the material of the bod y causes the bore 2 to be closed tightly around the stem 3 and produces a remarkably-efficient choke. This closure is so compact that when the explosion occurs it will resist the outward tendency of the explodingpowder, thereby causing the latter to burst the body with the detonation.

Any suitable means may be provided for producing the choke or closure for the bore other than that whichl have described. This may be done by placing the fire-cracker on end, applying a suitable tool at its free end, and hitting the same a proper blow with a hammer or mallet. In the drawings I have shown the operative end of a tool suitable for the purpose, in which 6 is a block adapted to rest upon the end of the fire-cracker, and 7 are a plurality of prongs arranged in a circle and projecting beyond said block and preferably secured thereto, which prongs are adapted to enter the material of the fire-cracker body and thereby to loosen several of the convolutions surrounding the bore 2. (See Fig. 2.) However, instead of using the prongs a tool having a continuous or symmetric cutting or detaching edge may be employed. The block 6 has a bore in which is located a plunger 8, that lies between the prongs 7 and is adapted to have movement independent of said block, and from the plunger 8 extendsa rod 9, that is adapted to pass into the bore 2 of the body when the block (5 is applied thereto. After the tool has been adjusted upon the body, as shown in Fig. 2, the plunger 8 is forced down, therebyups'etting and jamming inwardly the convolutions that have been loosened by the prongs 7, whereby said convolutions are caused to become upset and bent or crimped and formed into a solid mass, as previously explained and as shown in Figs. i and 5, the pin or rod 9 keeping the convolutions distended for the passage of the stem, as shown in Fig. 6, and after the stem is inserted a further compression can be given the convolutions to compress the stem between them, as shown in Fig. 10. By preference, however, the closing of the end of the firecracker body will be done by machinery. A machine for this purpose has been shown and described in an application for Letters Patent filed by me on the 7th day of February, 1898, Serial No. 669,370, and the tool above described is more fully set forth in said application; but, as I have above stated, the choke can be formed by using a tool or tools operated by hand.

I am aware that a firecracker has been made in which the convolutions have been bent inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the body to close the bore and to extend across the latter; but these convolutions of the body have not been jammed longitudinally upon themselves, so as to bend or crimp them, as is done in accordance with my invention. The fire-cracker to which I refer is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, wherein the convolutions of the body 1-are shown as bent over at 10 at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the body 1, so as to extend across the bore 2; but these convolutions, not being jammed into a solid mass, will readily bend backwardly to substantially their normal position when an explosion occurs, and thereby the powder, instead of always bursting the body, will find a vent through the end of the bore, its force being so great as to cause the convolutions of the body to bend outwardly. The advantages of myinvention over such a construction are that the convolutions of the body being compressed, crimped, andjammed closely together into a solid mass present a much greater resistance to the explosive, both longitudinally and transversely, than the walls of the body, and therefore said walls must burst, and in so doing will produce the desired detonation or report.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is 1. A fire-cracker comprising a body composed of a band or strip wound upon itself,

said body having a bore, the material at the end of the bore being pressed inwardly and upon itself in the longitudinal direction of the body to choke the bore, substantially as described.

2. A fire-cracker comprising a body composed of a band wound upon itself, said body having a bore, the material at the end of the bore being compressed and formed into bends or convolutions which lie one within the other, the convolutions forming concentric abut ments which extend across the bore, the material of the convolutions being compressed in the longitudinal direction of the body, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a fire-cracker or like article, of a body formed of a band or strip wound upon itself, said body having a bore and a series of longitudinally disposed and superposed concentric abutments formed of a longitudinally-oompressed portion of the said body and lying Within the bore, and an exploding-stem held within said bore by the abutments, substantially as described.

Signed in the city, county, and State of New York this 9th day of May, 1898.

CHARLES L. CURTIS. 

